Classical Jazz

The names of Johann Sebastian Bach, Pyotr Ilyich Tchaikovsky and Sergei Rachmaninoff do not necessarily conjure images and sounds of jazz in one's mind, that is until one has listened to recordings by the Classical Jazz Quartet. Although these musicians utilize the same instruments as the Modern Jazz Quartet, they are in no way clones or copycats of that groundbreaking group. They have very much their own sound and style. This is not surprising given the huge talent of the musicians involved; all four are virtuosos on their respective instruments. The themes, although composed in a different time and place, become excellent vehicles for complex, sometimes, bluesy, often swinging and always fresh improvisations in the hands of these musicians.

One of a series of sessions featuring Bob Belden's arrangements for the Classical Jazz Quartet, this volume focuses exclusively on one piece, Sergei Rachmaninov's Piano Concerto №2 in C Minor. As a result, this is by far the most ambitious project tackled by the quartet, though Kenny Barron, Stefon Harris, Ron Carter and Lewis Nash are more than up to the task.

Tchaikovsky's Nutcracker Suite has previously been arranged in a jazz setting by Duke Ellington and Billy Strayhorn, but Bob Belden's charts for the superb Classical Jazz Quartet (Kenny Barron, Stefon Harris, Ron Carter, and Lewis Nash) are also worth investigating.The musicianship is at a high level throughout the session; Carter's fluid basslines and Nash's subtle percussion are essential to the date.

Overall, the musicianship here is wonderful. The Claude Quartet plays with precision and feeling, and in lock step. Nuances (subtle dynamics, etc.) have been captured in fuller fidelity than in the original recording, making this an interesting listen. Of course, when you've heard one recording hundreds of time, the first time listening to a new one will seem a bit jarring at times, when the differences are at their greatest - but I'll not place any value on that - it's just different.

The Classical Jazz Quartet Kenny Barron on piano, Ron Carter on bass, Stefon Harris on vibraphone and marimba, and Lewis Nash on drums seems to begin where the Modern Jazz Quartet of the 1950s left off, right down to the CJQ initials that seem to evoke memories of the earlier group. Bach was the staple of the classical-music treatments the MJQ released.

Pushing boundaries, daring to experiment and breaking new ground: through its extraordinary interpretations of arrangements and commissioned works, Ensemble Clazzic has found a musical language all its own. Sometimes filigree and playful, sometimes virtuosic or melancholic, but always rousing and unique. Four artists with roots in different musical genres find unity on stage, a melange of different styles and cultures. Baroque meets jazz, faithfulness to musical notation meets improvisation, beauty of sound meets new playing techniques. Founded in 2009 by flutist Martina Silvester and pianist Susanna Klovsky, the ensemble has since made a name for itself.

Lots of composers fall head over heels for the cello, and Bolling's suite for classical cellist Yo-Yo Ma indicates that he finds this instrument a particularly noble, expressive vehicle for his classical/jazz musings. The distinctive Bolling formula still has plenty of mileage here, this time with a more expansive lyrical bent and no cutesy detours. "Baroque In Rhythm," in particular, sounds very fresh with its interpolations of boogie-woogie and ragtime amidst the Bachian counterpoint. "Romantique" is enlivened by some Brubeck-like chording and swinging from Bolling, and "Galop" has real panache. However, despite some inspired passages, the yawning, overlong lyrical stretches of "Concertante" and "Ballade" may try the patience of some jazz listeners.

The songs included on this album are entirely original, stereotype-breaking material developed jointly by both performers. The combination of jazz and electric guitar with a baroque harpsichord, as well as occasionally a clavichord and percussion instruments, sounds fresh and original. The use of electronic effects, preparation and amplification of the harpsichord, as well as the enrichment of the performance means with percussion techniques make each composition surprising with its dynamic and expressive scale, despite the modest instrumentation. The combination of elements of contemporary classical avant-garde, jazz and Latin music is the basis for extensive improvisations. Both artists are virtuosos of their instruments, who prove once again that they do not set any limits for them in the creative process, musicians are able to create completely new sounds. However, they are not the goal in themselves, the essence is the music itself - energetic, trance-like, and sometimes nostalgic, which will seduce not only jazz lovers.

Lalo Schifrin - Jazz Meets the Symphony Collection (1999) {4CD Set with Bonus CD Aleph Records Aleph 012 rec 1992-1998}
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© 1992-98, 1999 Aleph Records | Aleph 012 / 51702 63342
Jazz / Classical / Third Stream / Neo-Classical / Bop / Modern Post Bebop / Modern Arrangement

Here's yet another composer-performer who abhors the idea of building walls and fences between musical cultures. He's been carrying on parallel activities in the jazz and classical worlds ever since he was a youth in his native Argentina. Schifrin has composed a series of suites putting such jazz greats as Ray Brown and Grady Tate together with the London Philharmonic in a mix of originals, arrangements of standards, and several 13-14 minute tributes to the giants of jazz.